I suspect it is all about perspective - I entered software development out of desperation for any career tract job out of grad school 8 years ago, experiencing

I suspect it is all about perspective - I entered software development out of desperation for any career tract job out of grad school 8 years ago, experiencing 2.5 years of a desperate job search while enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve in the interim. I was ecstatic that I entered a profession where I can solve problems, and I’m still very happy I can do so today, even while having grinded up to senior at a FAANG. I no longer code outside of work though & found a happy balance of learning on the job with my productivity. I find the amount I do get to spend coding also has gone down - a lot of my time is spent mentoring, in meetings, writing planning docs, and just thinking about projects, or occasionally researching what’s the best paradigm for my problem. I am ok with this, as I am taking more joy in being a leader than directly coding necessarily. I recognize not everyone shares the same perspective though.